


the last star

by lightsofblue



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Marriage, Zutara Secret Santa 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28534089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightsofblue/pseuds/lightsofblue
Summary: For the zk secret santa I got the privilege of writing something for our beloved owedbetter. I'm really nervous bcs I'm not exactly a skilled writer, but I did my best. Jo I hope you like this, I had a lot of fun writing it. Merry Christmas.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	the last star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [owedbetter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/owedbetter/gifts).



> Also I referenced on this fic a fanart from afrosamucry on twitter. If you know, you know.

"I am here" hears Katara. She turns her face, finding Zuko, who is looking at her, a restrained smile in his face. 

"I thought you won't be able to get here." She says, pointing with her finger the empty space on the bench. 

Zuko is walking, approaching her, Katara takes a second to admire how the afternoon sunlight falls over his skin, how it reflects on his golden gaze. And she comes to the realization that the day loves Zuko. 

"I told them I had an important meeting with an ambassador." Explains Zuko "They don't know it's a personal meeting, though. But they don't need to know that."

"Well, if someone asks I will deny this meeting." Jokes Katara, they both laugh and Zuko finally sits. Katara rests her head on Zuko's shoulder.

"I'll miss you." She murmurs, her voice tainted with the sweet melancholy of goodbye. 

Zuko stays in silence for a while, Katara assumes he has something to say, but he doesn't know how to say it. She looks for his hand, and holds it between hers. 

They know each other enough to understand those silents. 

So she waits.

On the pond the turtleducks swim and play, splashing and quaking, from time to time they stop for a bit to give Katara and Zuko some curious looks. Katara wonders if the turtleducks are too waiting for something. Maybe they expect the couple to feed them with some bread.

"I will miss you too, Katara, but… " says Zuko, all of the sudden. That word, _but,_ scares Katara a little. She holds her breath, waiting for bad news. " _please don't say it"_ she thinks, she has no idea what is that "it" but she doesn't want to hear it. Zuko speaks again: "but I can't afford to miss you for the rest of my life." 

Katara exhales. There it is. In fact, it was something she didn't want to hear. 

"Zuko… " she looks at him, almost desperate, holding tighter his hand. 

"Will you marry me, Katara?" 

Katara opens her eyes, surprised by that question.

_An unexpected proposal._

She wants to say yes, loud and firm, and laugh and cry of happiness in his arms. But… Oh there's a but again. 

He is looking at her, expectant, waiting for an answer. Katara directs her gaze to the pond, wishing her life was as simple as turtleduck´s. She sighs. 

"Zuko… I don't think I could live here, in your palace. I just don't…" she closes her eyes for a bit. She doesn't want to see the delusion in his eyes. "Staying away from you, it is difficult, but I can't picture myself living here." She confesses. 

"I thought about it." Zuko takes her hands and leaves warm kisses on them. "And I know you cannot live here, I myself have nightmares between these walls.” Zuko's voice breaks a little as he says that, shortly after that he adds, his voice back to normal: “I have a plan.” 

_A plan?_ Katara raises a brow, doubting about it. _What's Zuko planning now?_

“If I say yes, what would be the plan, Zuko? you have duties and responsibilities to the fire nation” she remarks, looking directly at his eyes. 

“The plan has already started, Katara, years ago actually." Zuko is smiling with the conviction of someone that has everything under control. "If your answer is a no the plan will not change a bit. Don´t worry about my duties, sweet ocean, worry about your happiness.” 

Katara smiled at the _sweet ocean_ nickname. 

“My happiness, uh?

"Yes, only that."

"Well I hope you bring me a lot of happiness as my husband."

"Of course I will… Wait is that a…? 

"Yes." She says, loud and firm. Zuko takes her in his arms, Katara hides her face on Zuko's chest. They're both smiling.

And the sun is setting, a purple twilight has begun. 

  
  


**one year later**

Katara, sitting at a dressing table, looks at herself in the round mirror. Her hair is styled in two buns and adorned with blue ribbons. Her gown is also blue, ocean waves delicate embroidered all over the soft fabric, on her chest a full moon, embroidered too. 

The gown has long sleeves topped off with fur white as snow. 

"Katara, are you nervous?" That's Toph, she's using a warm coat and shoes to avoid the coldness of the south pole. 

"No… I mean, yes." Katara sighs. "I'm just having a lot of feelings right now. I'm overwhelmed."

"Can you come here? These shoes have me completely blind I don't want to walk over that fantastic dress." 

Katara stands up, smiling and walking in the direction of the earthbender. Once she's close Toph holds her hand and says:

"Everything is going to be okay, Katara. Zuko loves you and you're going to be a beautiful and happy couple."

"Oh Thank you, Toph. I'm sure in two years you will be marrying someone too." 

"Oh no, I'm gonna be 27, with a lot of money and no prospects. _And happy."_

"Okay then, if that's what you want..."

"Trust me is everything I want." 

"Katara, are you ready?" Interrupts Hakoda, entering the room. He looks at Katara for a bit, looking excited but also a little melancholic. 

"Yes dad, I am." The waterbender says, her voice cracking a little, she knows what her father is thinking about. 

"Oh Kya would have been so proud."

"I know dad." 

"Let's take you to the ceremony room. The groom should be arriving any minute now." 

Hakoda takes Katara's hand and guides her to the ceremony room. Toph is walking with them. 

All the guests are already there and the ballroom is full with her people and her friends: Suki and Sokka. Mai and Ty Lee sitting next to each other, Katara notices they're holding hands. Some white lotus members such as Iroh and master Pakku are there too, Aunt Wu, Azula, Aang, Haru.

"We present the bride." Says Hina, who is leading the ceremony "Mighty Katara, master waterbender and ambassador of the southern water tribe. We accompany her until the groom arrives."

Hakoda helps Katara sit on a cushion, where she must wait for Zuko. 

In a matter of minutes the firebender enters the ceremony room, holding a bundle. 

For a second their eyes meet. She notices he is tired, but excited. 

Zuko knees on the floor, opening the bundle to discover arctic seal fresh meat. The men of the tribe surround the bundle and inspect it. Zuko awaits the verdict without looking at her, seriousness covering his face. 

"We consider the groom a man able to support a wife, able to marry mighty Katara." Announce the men. 

Zuko stands up, a proud smile on his face, Hina guides him to the cushion where Katara is sitting. 

She notices Zuko's red gown has an embroidered sun on its chest and golden strings all over the fabric, like sun rays, thinks Katara. 

Hina stands in front of the couple, holding two goblets of water. 

"Mighty Katara, do you swear under the moon and by the spirits unconditional love to Zuko?"

"I do." Says Katara, taking a goblet and drinking half of the water on it. 

"Zuko, do you swear under the sun and by the spirits unconditional love to mighty Katara?"

"I do." Accepts Zuko, taking the other goblet and drinking, as Katara, only half of the water on it. 

"Now you must drink from each other's goblets, to symbolize the compromise of sharing and trusting." 

Zuko hands his goblet to Katara and she hands hers to Zuko. They both drink in silence, sharing an intimate look. 

Once they have finished Azula stands up holding a wooden box, it is carved with illustrations of the moon and the sun during an eclipse. 

Azula opens the box for them, showing two rings. One is blue and the other is red. 

Zuko takes the red ring and Katara the blue one. 

The firebender takes Katara's left hand and places the red ring on her finger. 

"Till the last star falls from the sky." He says. 

Katara puts the blue ring on Zuko's finger, and with a soft, melodic voice she says:

"Our love will last until the last star falls from the sky." 

  
  



End file.
